Fluid control means



I Aug 1941- E. c BRISBANE 2,251,320

FLUID CONTROL MEANS Filed March 2, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor EUGENE C. BRISBANE dttorncu Aug 5, 1941- E. c. B RISBANE FLUID CONTROL MEANSv Filed March 2, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Bummttor EUGENE C. BRISBANE attorney v FILLED WITH OIL 2 E. c. BRISBANE 2,251,320

FLUID CONTROL MEANS Filed March 2, 1959 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.4 F

82 :9 67 68 9 8 7s 4. 66 ll 2| 60 Ah y H Inventor EUGENE c. BRISBANE attorney Patented Aug. 5, 1941 Morgan Smith Company, York, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 2, 1939, Serial No. 259,319

3 Claims.

This invention relatts to valves of the type adapted to be installed in municipal water distribution systems and the like.

Valves of such type may be manually oper- Fig. 3 is an enlarged section of the valve lug shaft packing; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

able and the gates or the valve plugs may re- 5 Referring to the drawings, the valve has amain main open for long periods of time. body or casing l I formed with diametrically dis- The valves are usually buried at a depth sevposed waterway extensions I2 adapted to be coneral feet below the top of the ground. After the nected in any suitable manner to the adjacent valves are connected to the pipe line, the earth ends of pipe 13. is back filled and tamped around the body of the The pipe line l3 may be buried at a suitable valves. depth in the ground and the valve l I, after being The construction of the valves heretofore eminstalled in the pipe line, is also adapted to be ployed for the above purpose was usually such covered with earth. that no provision was made for protecting the Formed in the main b y I! o the Va ve is a valve operating mechanism. Accordingly, after cavity 14 for a tapered plug l5. one of the valves remained buried in the ground The plug I5 is formed'with a Waterway H; for several years, the valve and its mechanism Which s adapted to be registered with the waterwould be inoperative, due to corrosion, rust, and W y fo med in the extensions l2 so as to other causes, with the result that when it was establish communication through t p p ne. desired to operate the valve to control communi- As is customary in the construction of tapered cation in the pipe line, the mechanism refused to p va v t p s I5 is adapted, w ith function. in op Closed position, to be wedged or seated An object of the present invention is to proin the cavity M, and, therefore, in order to turn vide an improved valve in which the valve operthe p ug t is first necessary o unwedee the same. ating mechanism is enclosed in a. fluid-tight Thus, the g |5i$ pp rted for both axial and housing rotary movement in the valve body ll.

Another object of the invention is to provide At its Outer larger d e p l5 has Sean improved valve f th above type in which cured thereto one end of a shaft or stem 23. the valve operating mechanism is submerged in The plug S af 23eXtehdS t Oueh a Web 24 11, of a housing 25 attached to the valve body H,

Another object of the invention is to provide Said b ituting a cover pl for the a er an improved valve in which the housing of the end 0f the Valve body, d S heueing 25 valve operating mechanism is disposed in spaced Stituting a closure for the ValVe Operating mec relation to the main body of the Valve. anism (see Fi 2).

Another object of the invention is to provide A packing gland 2 e ed o the outer side an improved means for sealing the joint between 0f t b p e s eakage of fluid from t sh ft of t valve plug and t housing of the interior of the valve housing H, around the the valve operating mechanism. shaft 23.

Another object of the invention is to provide Mounted n the Valve Shaft 23 is a sleeve 32 an improved valve adapted to be buried in the aving a portion of its exterior formed with screw ground without the use of additional protective ds 33. T e eeve is free to turn indemeans and in which the operating mechanism of p nt y of the valve shaft 23. the valve is protected from damage and deteri- The threaded portion 33 of the sleeve 32 is oration of a nature such as would render the mounted in an internally threaded bushing 34 valve inoperative. fixed to a web 35 of the housing 25.

The invention also comprises certain new and The web 35 is spaced a suitable distance from useful improvements in the construction, arthe web 24 heretofore referred to, and constitutes rangement and combination of the several parts the inner Wall of the chamber which encloses the of which it is composed, as will be hereinafter valve operating mechanism. more fully described and claimed. Mounted on the sleeve 32 is the hub 36 of a In the accompanying drawings: lever 31, said lever being connected to the sleeve Figure l is an end elevation of a valve instal- 32 by means of a sliding key 33, so th t when the lation embodying the present invention; lever 31 is operated, the sleeve 32 will also be Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of a operated. The sliding key 38 permits axial or portion of the valve structure shown in Fig. 1; longitudinal movement of the sleeve 32 with respect to the hub of the lever 31 when the valve plug I is being unwedged or wedged in its seat in the valve body i l.

Beyond the sleeve 32 the valve shaft 23 has mounted thereon a collar 4!] which is connected to said shaft by a key 4 l.

Mounted on the collar is the hub 82 of a lever 43, said lever being keyed to the collar 40, as indicated at 44, Fig. 2. The purpose of lever 43 is to turn the valve plug l5 (see Figs. 2 and 4).

At a point adjacent the inner end of the sleeve 32 the shaft 23 has mounted thereon a thrust washer 4!.

Also interposed between the hub 35 of the lever 37 and the hub 42 of the lever 43, is a washer 48.

A fluid-tight sealing means 45 encircles the shaft 23 at a point inwardly with respect to the sleeve 32, said sealing means being supported by the inner portion of the bushing 34, as shown in Fig. 2. The sealing means includes a ring 46 formed of suitable resilient material, such as rubber composition or the like. The ring 46 is adapted to bear against the shaft 23 so as to prevent loss of fiuid from chamber 49, as will be hereinafter described.

Mounted in a bore formed in the outer Wall 5! of the housing 25 is a bushing 52 which constitutes a bearing for the outer end of the valve shaft 23.

The outer end of the shaft 23 is threaded for the reception of a nut 53.

When the parts are being assembled the nut 53 is screwed inwardly an amount sufiicient to retain the sleeve 32 and the collar 40 in position on the shaft 23, but the nut 53 is not screwed in far enough to bind the sleeve 32, since the sleeve should be free to turn on the shaft 23 and should also be free to float up and down the shaft a slight distance, say .065 to .015 of an inch. When the sleeve 32 has been properly assembled on the shaft 23, the nut 53 may be locked in position by any suitable means.

The levers 31 and 43 may be moved by any form of energy, such as hydraulic, electric or manual, the construction shown in the drawings being arranged to be operated by hand.

In this construction there is provided a screw spindle 56 which is operatively connected with the lever 31, and a screw spindle 57 which is operatively connected with the lever 43.

The outer or free end of the lever 3'! is forked so as to straddle a cross head nut 58 mounted on the screw spindle 5B.

The nut 55 carries diametrically disposed pins or trunnions 59 which are slidably mounted in the forked end of the lever 31, as shown in Fig. 4.

The upper end of the spindle 58 is supported in a bearing mounted in a bore 5! formed in the housing 25. The lower end of the spindle 56 is mounted in a bushing 52 supported by a boss 63 formed in the housing 25.

The upper extremity of the spindle 55 extends upwardly through the housing 25 and has mounted thereon a gear 54.

The gear 54 is in meshing relationship with a gear 55 on a vertically disposed shaft 65 supported in a housing 67 mounted on top of the housing 25. The manner of supporting the shaft 56 is indicated at 68, Fig. 4.

The upper end of the shaft 65 is formed with a head 59 adapted to receive a tool (not shown) by which the spindle 56 can be operated to effect movement of the cross head nut 58 thereon.

Mounted on the screw spindle 51 is a cross head nut H which is connected to the outer end of the lever 43 by a pair of links 12.

The upper end of the spindle 51 is supported in a bearing 73 mounted in a bore 14 formed in the housing 25. The lower end of the spindle 51 is mounted in a bushing 15 supported by a boss v l6 formed in the housing 25.

The upper extremity of the spindle 57 extends upwardly through the housing 25 and has mounted thereon a gear ll.

The gear i1 is in meshing relationship with a gear 78 on a Vertically disposed shaft 19 supported in the housing 51, as indicated at 89, Fig. 4.

The upper end of the shaft 19 is formed with a head 85, similar to the head 59 heretofore referred to.

Supported by the housing 51 and extending upwardly therefrom is a tubular member 82, which may consist of two telescoping parts, as shown in Fig. 1. The top of the tube 82 is formed to receive a cover plate 83. The top of the tube 82 is adapted to be disposed at the surface of the ground.

The mechanism disposed within the chamber 49 is adapted to be submerged in oil, and in order that oil may be supplied to said chamber from time to time, disposed within the tube 82 is a pipe 84 having its lower end inserted in the wall of the chamber 49.

Assuming that the valve is closed and the plug [5 seated, as shown in Fig. 2, when it is desired to open the valve, the shaft 65 is turned, by means of a suitable tool, in the direction to cause the sleeve 32 to turn within the stationary bushing 34 so that a longitudinal or axial movement of the shaft 23 is effected in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 2). This results in the valve plug 15 being moved slightly so as to unwedge the same from its seat in the valve body H.

After the plug I5 has been unwedged, the operating tool is applied to the shaft it and said shaft turned an amount suihcient to rotate the plug I5 through an angle of approximately ihe shaft 56 is then turned, but in the direction "opposite to the unwedging movement initially imparted thereto, thereby reseating the plug 15 in the valve body I l.

One of the salient features of the present invention is the manner in which the valve is constructed whereby its mechanism is enclosed in an oil-tight chamber 45, which chamber is spaced from the main valve body so as to enable access to be had through openings 54, in the portion of the housing 25 between the webs 24 and 35, for the purpose of adjusting the packing gland 25. As shown in Fig. 4, the openings 54 are normally closed by cover plates 55. A valve constructed in the above manner can be buried in the ground, as shown in Fig. 1, without dam- -'age to any of the parts of the valve, since all of the operating elements are enclosed and protected by suitable casing. Since the operating mechanism of the valve is submerged in oil the mechanism will be protected in such a manner that the valve will remain in serviceable condition for many years without the necessity of repair or adjustment. The oil used in the chamber 45 may be any type of inexpensive oil of light viscosity. If so desired, a suitable quantity of oil can also be placed in the housing 61 to cover the gears therein and to lubricate the bearings 65 and '23.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In underground pipe and valve equipment of the kind comprising in combination, a buried valve, a tubular member extending upwardly from the valve, said tubular member consisting of two telescoping parts, the upper part supporting a cover plate at the ground surface and leading therefrom downwardly within the lower part, thevalve comprising a .body, a water gate therein, a housing secured to said body and forming a complete enclosure, said body and said housing having adjacent walls spaced from each other, a valve shaft extending from said water gate through said walls and terminating within said housing, sealing means for said shaft at its entrance to said housing, mechanism within said housing and operatively connected with said shaft for operating said water gate, said housing forming an oil-tight chamber for said mechanism, means extending outwardly from said housing and operatively connected to said mechanism for actuating said mechanism, said operber and having its top disposed ior ready access when the cover plate is removed.

2. In an underground pipe and valve equipment of the kind comprising a buried valve having a body, a water gate therein, a housing secured to said body and forming a complete enclosure, a valve shaft extending from said water gate through the wall separating the housing from said body and terminating within said housing, mechanism within said housing and operatively connected with said shaft for operating the water gate, said housing forming an oil-tight chamber for said mechanism, and means extending outwardly from said housing and operatively connected to said mechanism for actuating said mechanism, said operating means including a pair of spaced apart operating heads, each head adapted to receive a removable operating tool, the combination of a casing secured to said housing for enclosing and protecting said from downwardly within the lower part, the

diameter of said tubular member being of such dimensions as to permit the operating tool to be readily positioned on either of the operating heads, and an oil-filling tube for said housing extending upwardly through said casing and into said tubular member and terminating adjacent said cover plate for ready access when the cover plate is removed, said oil-filling tube being disposed in the space between said pair of operating heads in position so as not to interfere with the positioning of the operating tool thereon.

3. In an underground pipe and valve equipment of the kind comprising a buried Valve having a housing secured thereto and forming a complete enclosure for the valve operating mechanism, and means extending outwardly from said housing and operatively connected to the valve operating mechanism for actuating said mechanism, said operating means including a pair of spaced apart operating heads, each head adapted to receive a removable operating tool, the combination of a casing secured to said housing for enclosing and protecting said actuating means, a tubular member secured to said casing and extending upwardly from said casing, said tubular member comprising two telescoping parts, the upper part supporting a cover plate at the ground surface and leading therefrom downwardly within the lower part, the diameter ofsaid tubular member being of such dimensions as to permit the operating tool to be readily positioned on either of the operating heads, and an oil-filling tube for said housing extending upwardly through said casing and into said tubular member and terminating adjacent said cover plate for ready access when the cover plate is removed, said oil-filling tube being arranged in the space between said operating heads so as not to interfere with the positioning of the operating tool thereon when it is desired to operate the valve.

EUGENE C. BRISBANE. 

